burton--1001-nights--sample

well be as thou hintest O my well-advising Minister; and belike this
Sage hath come as a spy searching to put me to death; for assuredly if
he cured me by a something held in my hand, he can kill me by a
something given me to smell.” Then asked King Yunan, “O Minister,
what must be done with him?” and the Wazir answered, “Send after
him this very instant and summon him to thy presence; and when he
shall come strike him across the neck; and thus shalt thou rid thyself
of him and his wickedness, and deceive him ere he can deceive thee.”
“Thou hast again spoken sooth, O Wazir,” said the King and sent
one to call the Sage who came in joyful mood for he knew not what
had appointed for him the Compassionate; as a certain poet saith by
way of illustration: —
O Thou who fearest Fate, confiding fare * Trust all to Him who built
the world, and wait:
What Fate saith “Be” perforce must be, my lord! * And safe art thou
from th’ undecreed of Fate.
As Duban the physician entered he addressed the King in these
lines: —
An fail I of my thanks to thee nor thank thee day by day * For whom
composed I prose and verse, for whom my say and lay?
Thou lavishedst thy generous gifts ere they were craved by me * Thou
lavishedst thy boons unsought sans pretext or delay:
How shall I stint my praise of thee, how shall I cease to laud * The
grace of thee in secresy and patentest display?
Nay; I will thank thy benefits, for aye thy favours lie * Light on my
thought and tongue, though heavy on my back they weigh.
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